It is rare for a musician to just listen to the type of music they usually record, most listen to a variety of styles, both old and new. It takes a brave soul to step out of the music they have become identified with and record an album of favorites that are an entirely different style. Especially if that artist is an instrumentalist and the songs are vocals. This is what Rick Braun has done on his new album, Rick Braun Sings With Strings.

Braun grew up listening to standards. His mom played piano and sang, and he grew to love the lyrics and composition of those songs as he sang along around the house. He kept listening as he grew to become a professional musician. Following the path of other trumpet players like Louis Armstrong and Chet Baker, who recorded an album of vocals with string orchestration that has become a jazz classic, he decided it was time to record this type of music himself.

“I have always loved great melodies,” he said when I asked him what inspired this project. “I spent a lot of time listening to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra, and the other singers who were known as the 'Rat Pack.' I have an RV and when I take trips up and down the coast with the family this is what we listen to.”

The lyricism and complexity of the songs intrigued him too. “The sound of an orchestra is something so beautiful,” he noted, “I definitely wanted string arrangements and orchestration on this album. I've always wanted to play lyrically, too. For me, that's where I live. I have been singing my whole life so it's not that big a departure for me to sing.”

He has done vocals in concert, sung backup with Sade and Rod Stewart, and there are a few vocals on his albums, but this is the first time he has done an all vocal album. Doing that and tackling a new style of music at the same time could be daunting. “It wasn't scary for me.” he comments, “ It's just been very labor intensive, new, and exciting. Because these are the songs I've been listening to as a kid, in a lot of ways it feels like coming home.” He said he loves the emotional intimacy and the stories these songs tell. Did the record company balk when he came to them with this concept? “After three long lunches they became very open to it. It did take a little convincing because it is something new but they have been really supportive and are as excited about it as I am.”

Phillipe Saisse is another artist who plays with as few boundaries as record companies will let him get away with. He has recorded traditional jazz, edgy contemporary, an ambient electronic project, as well as radio friendly fare.  An accomplished arranger, he too loves orchestration and has slipped some cinematic sounding songs into his smooth jazz projects. As a long time friend and collaborator, he was a natural choice when it came to producing and arranging the album. Saisse and Braun spent a lot of time choosing what they considered a perfect collection of songs. They had favorites but they wanted to go beyond the oft-recorded standards and spice it up with some gems from the era that were not as familiar. “Time After Time” and “I've Never Been In Love Before” were songs he had known since he was a kid, “Heart of My Heart” and “Lucky To Be Me” were inspired by hearing a Blossom Dearie album and “Plus Je T'embarasse” is another Blossom Dearie song that they stumbled across while watching her videos on YouTube. “Once Upon A Summertime” is an English version of Michel Legrand's “La Valse des Lilas.” When he was in eighth grade Braun saw Legrand perform with an orchestra and was mesmerized. This was his chance to pay tribute. Saisse encouraged Braun to include “The Good Life,” a song that was based on French star Sasha Distel's “La Belle Vie.”

Braun and Saisse did not want to deliver modernized, fashionable revisions. They wanted to capture feeling of the era that produced these songs. Braun's approach to both the vocals and his instrumental work was minimalist. His vocals are very natural and his flugelhorn work is warm and unembellished. Al Schmitt mixed the album. Schmitt began his career as a recording engineer in the 50's working with legends like Rosemary Clooney. He has an affinity with contemporary vocalists who are recording standards. He mixed Al Jarreau's heritage jazz album Accentuate The Positive, Natalie Cole's Unforgettable, and most of Diana Krall's albums.
He did his work in the legendary Capitol Records building, where the Rat Pack (Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.) did their records. The way the orchestration was done illustrates a fascinating utilization of technology. The 52 piece orchestra was actually in Prague and Saisse, in California, communicated with the conductor in real time via the Internet while the music was being recorded.

There is a series of videos on YouTube that cover the recording of the album and go into specific songs. The most noticeable thing besides the level of musicianship is how much fun Braun, Saisse, and the other musicians had during the sessions. There is meticulous attention to detail but there is never the feeling that they are trying too hard, which often happens when contemporary artists (literally) tackle this material. Most importantly, everyone involved is thoroughly enjoying the music they are playing. Braun is not trying forcing it, trying to be a great jazz singer, he is being himself, simply singing a set of songs that he loves, and that makes for a very comfortable and enjoyable listen.

Here is the link to the behind the scenes videos for Rick Braun Sings With Strings